text:
You hear the National government talking about the need to sell assets because we have so little money in this country. Do you know why we have so little money in this country? It's because a large percentage of our economic assets are overseas-owned. For example, when the Australian-owned banks make billions in profits here (and it's up a quarter to a third this year alone). That money isn't returned to New Zealanders. The money goes straight back overseas."we have so little money in this country"? I don't even know what that means. Does Cunliffe? If we really do want more money in this country we can have it just by printing it.
As to the money goes overseas bit I have said this before but let me say it again: Let us assume for a moment that evil foreigners make a NZ$1 profit which, in an effort to piss-off David Cunliffe, they wish to take it back to, say, China. How do they do it? Clearly a New Zealand dollar isn't worth anything in China so the Chinese holder of NZ currency will have to sell their NZ$1 to buy Yuan. But why would anyone want to buy said NZ$1? The only use for a NZ$s is to buy something made in NZ. Thus the buyer of the NZ$s must want it to buy a NZ export of some kind. What is Michael Fry's problem with this? The NZ$1 doesn't go overseas in any meaningful way, it gets spent on New Zealand produced goods and services no matter who gets the profits from the ownership of local firms. If a New Zealander gets the profits they spend them on New Zealand made goods and services, if a foreigners gets the profits they sell the NZ$s to someone who wants to buy New Zealand made goods and services.
While the hippies were out protesting in the streets, a professor at the University of Chicago called Milton Friedman, was selling his students the idea that taxation was evil and that businesses worked best when they were deregulated.I don't know of anywhere that Friedman calls taxation "evil". I'm sure he believed that the government has a role to play in the economy and thus that taxation would be necessary to fund that role. He thought that the role of government should be limited and thus that taxation should be limited. But this doesn't make taxation "evil". Keep in mind that at the first Mont Pelerin Society meeting Lugwig von Mises clashed with other participants, including Friedman, when they argued that the government had some role in the redistribution of income. Such a redistribution would involve taxation. This topic led to some spirited discussions. According to Friedman, Mises walked out, declaring, "You're all a bunch of socialists."
Also consider economist Murray Rothbard's view of Friedman and taxation,
One of Friedman's most disastrous deeds was the important role he proudly played, during World War II in the Treasury Department, in foisting upon the suffering American public the system of the withholding tax. Before World War II, when income tax rates were far lower than now, there was no withholding system; everyone paid his annual bill in one lump sum, on March 15. It is obvious that under this system, the Internal Revenue Service could never hope to extract the entire annual sum, at current confiscatory rates, from the mass of the working population. The whole ghastly system would have happily broken down long before this. Only the Friedmanite withholding tax has permitted the government to use every employer as an unpaid tax collector, extracting the tax quietly and silently from each paycheck. In many ways, we have Milton Friedman to thank for the present monster Leviathan State in America.Rothbard clearly thinks Friedman loved taxes too much!
Also I would think that Friedman thought that business should be regulated but that competition is the best form of regulation. What he argued for was deregulation when competition was being thwarted by inappropriate regulation.
The Republican Party in the US, the Conservative Party in England and the Labour Party in New Zealand enthusiastically took up Friedman's philosophy, which is now called neo-liberalism.The major influence on the Thatcher in the U.K. was Hayek rather than Friedman.
As to what Friedman's general political philosophy was he himself used the term "classical liberalism". On this see his book "Capitalism and Freedom". I think it is in the preface that he discusses this point. Given my understanding of political philosophy such a designation seems appropriate. As to his view of the philosophy of science as applied at the study of economics see this famous 1953 essay "The methodology of positive economics". I would guess that Cunliffe has read neither and thus is unable to pass comment on Friedman's philosophical views.
Friedman revived a belief in the "invisible hand" of the market. It was a fairy tale that Adam Smith had said a century earlier would automatically deliver the best of all possible economic worlds.Adam Smith NEVER said that! See, for example, Gavin Kennedy's blog Adam Smith's Lost Legacy for many discussions of what Smith really did say. Let me point out that Smith believed there were many reasons for markets to failure and thus many reasons for government intervention. A partial list would include:
Here is a list extracted from Wealth Of Nations:I would also bet that no economist has ever said that the "invisible hand" of the market would automatically deliver the best of all possible economic worlds. The best you will get from an economist is that competitive markets will give a better (but still imperfect) result than any alternative.
- the Navigation Acts, blessed by Smith under the assertion that 'defence, however, is of much more importance than opulence' (WN464);
- Sterling marks on plate and stamps on linen and woollen cloth (WN138–9);
- enforcement of contracts by a system of justice (WN720);
- wages to be paid in money, not goods;
- regulations of paper money in banking (WN437);
- obligations to build party walls to prevent the spread of fire (WN324);
- rights of farmers to send farm produce to the best market (except 'only in the most urgent necessity') (WN539);
- 'Premiums and other encouragements to advance the linen and woollen industries' (TMS185);
- 'Police', or preservation of the 'cleanliness of roads, streets, and to prevent the bad effects of corruption and putrifying substances';
- ensuring the 'cheapness or plenty [of provisions]' (LJ6; 331);
- patrols by town guards and fire fighters to watch for hazardous accidents (LJ331–2);
- erecting and maintaining certain public works and public institutions intended to facilitate commerce (roads, bridges, canals and harbours) (WN723);
- coinage and the mint (WN478; 1724);
- post office (WN724);
- regulation of institutions, such as company structures (joint- stock companies, co-partneries, regulated companies and so on) (WN731–58);
- temporary monopolies, including copyright and patents, of fixed duration (WN754);
- education of youth ('village schools', curriculum design and so on) (WN758–89);
- education of people of all ages (tythes or land tax) (WN788);
- encouragement of 'the frequency and gaiety of publick diversions'(WN796);
- the prevention of 'leprosy or any other loathsome and offensive disease' from spreading among the population (WN787–88);
- encouragement of martial exercises (WN786);
- registration of mortgages for land, houses and boats over two tons (WN861, 863);
- government restrictions on interest for borrowing (usury laws) to overcome investor 'stupidity' (WN356–7);
- laws against banks issuing low-denomination promissory notes (WN324);
- natural liberty may be breached if individuals 'endanger the security of the whole society' (WN324);
- limiting 'free exportation of corn' only 'in cases of the most urgent necessity' ('dearth' turning into 'famine') (WN539); and
- moderate export taxes on wool exports for government revenue (WN879).
Neo-liberalism has become such a dominant economic philosophy that it is now the only economic philosophy taught in many universities.Does any university teach a course in "economic philosophy"? I would point out that every economics department in every university will teach, in more than one course, reasons for market failure. Reasons like asymmetric information, market power, externalities, public goods etc.
There are a whole lot more problems with the historical and policy arguments in the speech and for some discussion on these issues you can see the Not PC blog.
If this speech is an indication of the quality of economic advice Cunliffe is getting he needs to change his advisers.
Update: Kiwiblog comments on The Cunliffe speech.


text: These pivoting Bi-pods feature innovative traversing technology, enabling you to horizontally rotate back and forth for a steady hold on moving game. Plus the rapid-adjust lever lock quickly locks-down in any position. Hunters will appreciate the steadiness of these bipods. They also feature telescoping legs with spring return and easily attach to the sling swivel stud on your firearm. They are compact and lightweight for ease of travel. They extend easily and quickly with adjustable heights. Great for prone, bench rest or sitting shots. The pivoting model adjusts easily for uneven terrain.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
An API for AMT data
Dec 14th, 2011
The AMT released their GTFS schedule information to the public earlier this week, which is awesome. Not coincidentally, Montreal is going to have a Transportation Camp tomorrow, wherein people will hack on transportation software and discuss open data issues.
GTFS information is useful and standard, but in its raw form it can be a bit difficult to wrangle with. So in advance of the event, I thought it might be helpful/useful to put a simple JSON API to the data, based on my routez software. Should be useful for creating an app or two! There's two endpoints that are currently defined:
/api/v1/stop/<stop code>/upcoming_stoptimes
This will give a set of upcoming departures at a particular AMT stop (represented by its code). Example:
/api/v1/place/<lat,lng>/upcoming_stoptimes?distance=<distance in meters>
This will give a set of AMT stops within range of that endpoint, along with upcoming departures. Example:


text:
Early in my tenure as co-founder at Guidance Software (EnCase), we commercialized full-disk imaging circa 2001 with EnCase Forensic edition, which was the first Windows-based computer forensics tool. EnCase Forensic enabled broader market adaption of computer forensic drive imaging, but the tool was originally designed for law enforcement to perform criminal computer evidence seizures. We were thinking more CSI than ESI.
However, soon a funny thing happened. For a two to three year period in the mid-2000s, a majority of standalone forensic software purchases came from eDiscovery service providers. Law enforcement represented a sizable minority during this "surge period" of commercial sector purchases, but we eventually realized that the eDiscovery services community was in the process of standardizing on full disk imaging as their default collection practice.
I have a few theories on why this trend occurred, but suffice to say that one of the many reasons that full-disk imaging is burdensome is because the process often involves service providers traveling out to the individual custodians, which is very disruptive to employees, not to mention time consuming. Additionally, as eDiscovery processing and hosting fees are usually calculated on a per-gigabyte basis, costs are increased exponentially. In a word, this is overkill, with much more effective and efficient options now available.
However, many eDiscovery practitioners continue to collect or direct the collection of Electronically Stored Information (ESI) through full disk forensic "images" of targeted media as a routine practice. Full disk images capture every bit and byte on a hard drive, including system and application files, unallocated space and a host of irrelevant user-created data. While full disk images may be warranted in some limited situations, the expense and burden associated with the practice can be quite extensive, particularly in matters that involve multiple custodians.
The Duty to Preserve Only Extends to Relevant Information
It is established law that the duty to preserve evidence, including ESI, extends only to relevant information. Hynix Semiconductor Inc. v. Rambus Inc., 2006 WL 565893 (N.D.Cal. Jan. 5, 2006) at *27. ("The duty to preserve evidence, once it attaches, does not extend beyond evidence that is relevant and material to the claims at issue in the litigation.") As noted by the Zubulake court, "Clearly [there is no duty to] preserve every shred of paper, every e-mail or electronic document, and every backup tape…Such a rule would cripple large corporations." Zubulake v. UBS Warburg LLC, 220 F.R.D. 212, 217 (S.D.N.Y. 2004) ("Zubulake IV").
The vast majority of ESI on a full disk image will typically constitute irrelevant information. As stated by one court, "imaging a hard drive results in the production of massive amounts of irrelevant, and perhaps privileged, information." Deipenhorst v. City of Battle Creek, 2006 WL 1851243 (W.D.Mich. June 30, 2006) at *3. In noting that the "imaging of computer hard drives is an expensive process, and adds to the burden of litigation for both parties," the Deipenhorst court declined to require the production of full disk images absent a strong showing of good cause. See also, Fasteners for Retail, Inc. v. DeJohn et al., No 1000333 (Ct. App.Ohio April 24, 2014).
Similarly, in Zubulake v. UBS Warburg LLC, 2004 WL 1620866 at *8 (S.D.N.Y. July 20, 2004) ("Zubulake V"), Judge Scheindlin suggested that eDiscovery could be more manageable for producing parties but still defensible by taking advantage of the development of technology like X1 Distributed Discovery, which would be capable of conducting distributed keyword searches. She anticipated that, due to the expansion of eDiscovery in coming years, counsel "must be more creative" because:
[It may not always] be feasible for counsel to speak with every key player, given the size of a company or the scope of the lawsuit, counsel must be more creative. It may be possible to run a system-wide keyword search; counsel could then preserve a copy of each "hit." [FN75] Although this sounds burdensome, it need not be. Counsel does not have to review these documents, only see that they are retained. For example, counsel could create a broad list of search terms, run a search for a limited time frame, and then segregate responsive documents. . .
FN75. It might be advisable to solicit a list of search terms from the opposing party for this purpose, so that it could not later complain about which terms were used.
The recommended collection and preservation approach described by Judge Scheindlin is a far cry from obtaining full-disk images of the hard drives of each potential custodian, and in fact maps directly to the capabilities of X1 Distributed Discovery.
Courts do require that ESI be collected in a forensically sound manner, which does not mean a full forensic disk image is required, but generally does entail that metadata is not altered and a documented chain of custody is maintained. Historically, eDiscovery collection efforts not involving full disk imaging would often result in the loss or alternation of metadata. More advanced enterprise class technology, such as X1 Distributed Discovery, can accomplish system-wide searches that are narrowly tailored to collect only potentially relevant information while preserving metadata at the same time. This process is better, faster and dramatically less expensive than manual disk imaging. As with the Zubulake V decision, which advocates employing technology to perform "system-wide keyword searches", courts recognize that advanced computer software can be deployed to limit the scope of computer searches and thus support reasonable discovery efforts.
With X1 Distributed Discovery (X1DD), parties can perform targeted search collection of the ESI of thousands of endpoints over the internal network without disrupting operations. The search results are returned in minutes, not weeks, and thus can be highly granular and iterative, based upon multiple keywords, date ranges, file types, or other parameters. This approach typically reduces the eDiscovery collection and processing costs by at least one order of magnitude (90%). This method is sound from an evidentiary standpoint as the collected data is preserved in its native file format with its metadata intact. X1DD features a solid chain of custody and robust logging, tracking and reporting.
The authorities cited above establish that effective technology can enable corporate counsel to establish a highly defensible process that at the same time minimizes cost. Routine full-disk imaging, over collection, and high eDiscovery costs are symptoms of an absence of a systemized process. By establishing a scalable and system-wide eDiscovery process based upon the latest technology, large organizations can save millions while improving compliance.


text:
Retrogression. It's a big word, with heavy implications for Florida's redistricting debate. We wrote about it in today's story, highlighting how the issue is already causing some intra-party turmoil for both Republicans and Democrats.
Legislators must decide how many new districts should be carved to elect minorities, comply with the new standards of Amendments 5 and 6, and stay clear of violating the federal Voting Rights Act.
Retrogression is basically the reduction in voting strength of a racial or ethnic minority based on a redistricting plan.
There are questions galore: Does retrogression apply to the whole map or to just voters in a certain region? Is it retrogression if the voting strength of a minority majority district in Jacksonville is reduced but two new districts are created that increase the opportunity for blacks to be elected in other parts of the state? What constitutes voting strength? Performance or percentage?
"I can't answer that question on what that magic number is – what is retrogression – that's going to be a paradigm issue we have to look at,'' Rep. John Legg, the co-chairman of the House subcommittee on Congresssional redistricting told us in October. But when will those questions be answered? "Before the end of session," he said.
Lawmakers could do what they traditionally do with other constitutional amendments and write an implementing bill, spelling out the definitions of terms such as retrogression, and guiding how they want an amendment interpreted. That might give them a framework on which to defend their maps, instead of leaving it to the courts to interpret what they consider retrogression. But Sen. Don Gaetz and Senate President Mike Haridopolos have told us that the maps instead will serve as their definitions.
We expect we'll be writing much more about minority districts and retrogression as this issue remains central to what is going on behind closed doors, and in the open, in Tallahassee over the next two months.
A little more background: Hispanic growth surged in Florida 57 percent in the last 10 years, so legislators must decide whether to create more districts designed to help elect Hispanics to the Legislature and Congress. The area that has seen the most Hispanic growth was been in Central Florida, where many Puerto Rican Hispanics have led to a surge in Democratic voters rolls in Orange and Osceola counties.
The 2010 Census reports that Hispanics now make up 22.5 percent of Florida's population and more than half of them live in three counties: Miami-Dade, Broward and Orange counties. In Miami Dade County alone, Hispanics make up 65 percent of the county's population, or 1.6 million people. But of that 1.6 million Hispanics, 70 percent are Cuban.
Just as Miami's Hispanic population is dominated by Cubans, Central Florida's is dominated by Puerto Ricans. In Central Florida, there are 687,986 Hispanics; 49 percent of them are self-reported Puerto Rican and only 7 percent are of Cuban descent.
So, to give you a bit of a road map into legislative thinking regard minority districts and retrogression, here are just some of the highlights from the House and Senate's redistricting committee meetings:
Sen. Alan Hays, R-Umatilla, sparked the first controversy when he suggested that before districts are drawn to elect Hispanics, legislators must first decide how many Hispanics counted in each district is eligible to vote.
"Before we design a district anywhere in the state of Florida for Hispanic voters, we need to ascertain that they are citizens of the United States," Hays said at a Senate redistricting meeting in October. "We all know there are many Hispanic-speaking people in Florida that are not legal. And I just don't think it's right that we try to draw a district that encompasses people that really have no business voting anyhow."
Hays never apologized but told his colleagues privately that he meant to say it differently. Hispanic Democrats called for his ouster from the committee but Republican leaders dismissed it and moved on.
A similar question was at issue in Texas earlier this year, when a federal court there ruled in Lepak v. City of Irving that city council districts must be drawn based on "equal numbers of citizens with the ability to vote" not based solely on population. The plaintiffs wanted the court to require that the city draw its lines on the basis of citizing voting age population instead of on total population. One district had much lower citizen VAP than the others and plaintiffs argued that gave them nearly twice the voting power without the voters and was in violationg of the "one person, one vote principle."
The ruling, which is on appeal before the U.S. Supreme Court, raised the issue of representational equality versus electoral equality and suggested that case law was unclear about the precedence. If the federal court upholds that decision, it could have huge implications for Florida, resulting perhaps in immigrants, who have not yet been naturalized and earned their right to vote, would no longer be counted for redistricting purposes.
The second conflict emerged this month, when Senate Democratic Leader Nan Rich criticized a congressional map submitted by the Florida branch of the NAACP for leaving intact many of the existing congressional district lines, despite new standards imposed by voters when they approved constitutional Amendments 5 and 6 in 2010.
The existing congressional lines "were drawn to preserve incumbents and political parties,'' Rich said. "I don't believe that 63 percent of the voters in the state of Florida decided to vote for a 5 and 6 so so that we could come back with a map that is what it was 10 years ago."
Gaetz, the Niceville Republican and incoming Senate president agreed saying Rich "makes a very good point. In order to be faithful to Amendments 5 and 6, we can't be slavish devotees to the way that districts were drawn 10 year ago. We have to be mindful where people live and if minorities live in certain areas, we have to be mindful of that.".
Rich said that the NAACP maps failed to take into account many of the standards imposed by the new amendments: compact districts, existing geographic or political boundaries. "There are so many things, so many standards that were not there 10 years ago that I think we need to factor in."
Sen. David Simmons, an Orlando Republican and one of the lawyers on the committee, however said he believed that whatever they do, they must preserve the voting strength of the existing minority districts. "You cannot diminish an existing district and that's the reason there is a rationale for looking at the existing districts right now and building upon them, working from those districts."
He later added: "The existing minority access districts that we have cannot be divided into two sub-districts of 25 percent….If it's 50 percent now, I don't belieer it can be broken into two districts of 25 percent because I believe the constitutional amendments prohibit that because they prohibit diminution of access."
But state Sen. Gary Siplin, an Orlando Democrat, and a lawyer who is black, defended the existing maps and the configuration of the existing black districts because, he said, they are the foundation for the current strong representation of minorities in the state. "We already have the constitutional basis to represent and reflect the minorities in the state of Florida,'' he said.
Sen. Joe Negron, a Stuart Republican and a lawyer, said he believes that both racial and language minorities must be treated the same when drawing minority districts.
Sen. Andy Gardiner, the Senate Republican leader from Orlando, agreed and elaborated on how he believes legislators must avoid retrogression. "When we are looking at districts, we [should] take into consider that we do not diminish and we really look at the percentages,'' he said. "If a particular district is at a percentage, I think it's very imporant across the minority distrits that it stays within that percentage."
Republican legislators and the lawyers and staff members they have hired in both the House and Senate appear to be in agreement that minority districts must maintain the same composition they have today to avoid running foul of the retrogression standards.
At a House subcommittee meeting on Senate redistricting on Nov. 11, Rep. Janet Cruz, D-Tampa, asked "if there is a district drawn with 80 percent population is there any violation of the Constitution?"
George Meros, a Gray Robinson lawyer hired by the House to provide counsel on redistricting, answered: "Not necessarily. It all depends on each particular district; how each district could be drawn based on the circumstances of that particular district."
Rep. Evan Jenne, D-Hollywood, asked: What if a district is 20 percent Haitian, 20 percent Cuban, 20 percent other, 40 white -- would that qualify as a minority district? If there are 3 minority groups "is that a true minority seat by definition under the law because there are three separate minorities, none of which equal a majority but, when combined, do create a minority?"
"There is no easy answer,'' Meros replied. It depends on how the area performs in elections, he said. Do whites vote as a bloc against the minorities? Do minorities vote together or separately? "The analysis will determine what is to be preserved."
Meros answered again: "There is no easy answer." He said it was important to determine if the "other" minorities are protected under Amendments 5 and 6. "Assuming that they are, then one of the questions would be do you have to preserve that and how do the minorities vote." Do whites vote as a bloc against the minorities? Do minorities vote together or separately? Do they vote as a bloc? "The analysis will determine what is to be preserved" as a minority district. "Each of these answers is dependent on the facts given in a given area and also the performance," he said.
In reviewing a map submitted by the public, Redistricting Staff Director Alex Kelly told the committee that a proposal to create five Hispanic seats in South Florida that had a voter registration of less than 50 percent "will actually perform" to elect an Hispanic candidate.
Florida's legislature is full is examples of minority lawmakers elected from districts that have voting age populations with far less than 50 percent minorities.
Democratic Rep. Dwayne Taylor of Volusia, for example, in 2002 had a black voting age population of only 19.64 percent but elected a black, former Rep. Joyce Cusack. She was replaced by Taylor, also black, in a district that now has a black voting age population of nearly 23 percent.
By contrast, Rep. Gwyn Clark Reed, D-Pompano Beach, asked one of the House's redistricting lawyers if packing a district with 80 percent of a population would violate the Constitution.
"It depends,'' said Allan Windsor of the Gray Robinson law firm. "You have a situation where you have one minority district and you could have more" but only if the voters in the surrounding areas would support that.
"It's how do people vote,'' he said. "There is no magic number that would say a district is constitutional or unconstitutional."


text:
MIT researchers may have found a way to overcome a key barrier to the advent of super-fast quantum computers, which could be powerful tools for applications such as code breaking.
Ever since Nobel Prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman first proposed the theory of quantum computing more than two decades ago, researchers have been working to build such a device.
One approach involves superconducting devices that, when cooled to temperatures of nearly absolute zero (-459 degrees F, -273 degrees C), can be made to behave like artificial atoms -- nanometer-scale "boxes" in which the electrons are forced to exist at specific, discrete energy levels (picture an elevator that can stop at the floors of a building but not in between). But traditional scientific techniques for characterizing -- and therefore better understanding --Â atoms and molecules do not necessarily translate easily to artificial atoms, said William Oliver of MIT Lincoln Laboratory's Analog Device Technology Group and MIT's Research Laboratory for Electronics (RLE).
In the Sept. 4 issue of Nature, Oliver and colleagues have reported a technique that could fill that gap. Oliver's co-authors are lead author David Berns, a graduate student in physics and RLE; Mark Rudner, also a graduate student in physics; Sergio Valenzuela, a research affiliate at MIT's Francis Bitter Magnet Laboratory; Karl Berggren, the Emanuel E. Landsman Career Development Associate Professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS); Professor Leonid Levitov of physics; and EECS Professor Terry Orlando. The work is a hallmark of the increased collaboration between researchers on the MIT campus and at Lincoln Laboratory.
Characterizing energy levels is fundamental to the understanding and engineering of any atomic-scale device. Ever since Isaac Newton showed that sunlight could be dispersed into a continuous color spectrum, each color representing a different energy, this has been done through analysis of how an atom responds to different frequencies of light and other electromagnetic radiation -- a technique known generally as spectroscopy.
But artificial atoms have energy levels that correspond to a very wide swath of frequencies, ranging from tens to hundreds of gigahertz. That makes standard spectroscopy costly and difficult to apply. "The application of frequency spectroscopy over a broad band is not universally straightforward," Oliver said.
The MIT team developed a complementary approach called amplitude spectroscopy that provides a way to characterize quantum entities over extraordinarily broad frequency ranges. This procedure is "particularly relevant for studying the properties of artificial atoms," Oliver said.
Better knowledge of these superconducting structures could hasten the development of a quantum computer. Each artificial atom could function as a "qubit," or quantum bit, which can be in multiple energy states at once. That means it would not be simply a one or a zero (like the electronic switches in a conventional computer) but rather in a sort of hazy combination of both states (it's akin to the famous paradox of Schroedinger's quantum cat, which is considered to be both alive and dead at the same time until an observation is made, simultaneously creating and revealing its true condition). This odd behavior, inherent to the quantum nature of materials at the atomic level, is what gives quantum computing such promise as a paradigm-busting advance.
Amplitude spectroscopy gleans information about a superconducting artificial atom by probing its response to a single, fixed frequency that is strategically chosen to be, as Oliver puts it, "benign." This probe pushes the atom through its energy-state transitions. In fact, the atoms can be made to jump between energy bands at practically unlimited rates by adjusting the amplitude of the fixed-frequency source.
The radiation emitted by the artificial atom in response to this probe exhibits interference patterns. These patterns, which Oliver calls "spectroscopy diamonds" because of their striking geometric regularity, serve as fingerprints of the artificial atom's energy spectrum.
This work was funded by the Air Force Office of Scientific Research, the Laboratory for Physical Sciences, the Department of Defense, and the US government.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on September 10, 2008 (download PDF).


text:
This agent has a large number of drug-drug and drug-food interactions, and there is a need for increased INR monitoring.
Medication errors may occur at any point in the health care system. Obtaining a true estimate of the number of errors is difficult, but preventable medication errors are known to increase patient harm and total health care costs.1 This series will highlight some of the most important errors and address methods to decrease the risk of them occurring.
Drug #1: Warfarin
A 52-year-old male taking warfarin daily for prevention of stroke with atrial fibrillation develops a skin infection and visits the local urgent care center on a weekend for evaluation and treatment. The patient receives a diagnosis of cellulitis and a prescription for Bactrim®, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole (TMP/SMX), to be taken twice daily. The drug is dispensed by a pharmacy near the urgent care center, not the patient's usual pharmacy. Several days later, the patient is admitted to the hospital with an acute bleed and an elevated international normalized ratio (INR).
What is the problem in this scenario?
Warfarin remains one of the most frequently prescribed medications in the United States, and it appears on the Institute for Safe Medication Practices list of high-alert medications because overanticoagulation or underanticoagulation has important consequences.2 In addition, medication errors that lead to adverse drug events may be more common with warfarin because it has a large number of drug-drug and drug-food interactions and there is a need for increased INR monitoring.
In the scenario above, a medication was prescribed that was known to affect the metabolism of warfarin. Studies have shown that through inhibition of CYP enzymes, TMP/SMX as well as other antibiotics and medications may significantly increase warfarin levels and the patient's INR, therefore placing the patient at increased risk for bleeding.3 Although the risk of a significant drug-drug interaction may be minimized or avoided by choosing an antibiotic less likely to affect warfarin levels, in some cases doing so may not be possible and the only option may be increased monitoring and warfarin dosage adjustment.
Regardless, it is important that all providers be aware of the large number of drug-drug interactions with warfarin and the associated monitoring that is required. This case also highlights the importance of medication reconciliation and patient communication throughout the process.
The patient in this scenario visited a health care facility, a physician, and a pharmacy that may not have been aware of his entire medical or medication history, including the use of warfarin. All providers should obtain an accurate medication history, which in this case may be based heavily on what the patient is able to relate or information gathered by calling the patient's usual pharmacy.
A patient who is receiving warfarin therapy should be informed about and comprehend the importance of his medications and disease states. He should be empowered to participate in his care and educated to inform all other health care providers that he is receiving anticoagulation therapy.
The patient must understand the importance of INR monitoring, especially in the face of drug-drug and drug-food interactions, and the complications associated with nonadherence to monitoring and associated dosage changes.
A multidisciplinary and collaborative approach to treatment that involves physicians, nurses, and pharmacists may also help prevent adverse drug events and related hospitalizations while improving overall outcomes.4
1. Institute of Medicine. To Err Is Human: Building a Safer Health System. Washington, DC: National Academy Press; 1999.
2. Institute for Safe Medication Practices. ISMP List of High-alert Medications in Community/Ambulatory Healthcare. Accessed July 8, 2013.
3. Glasheen JJ, Fugit RV, Prochazka AV. The risk of overanticoagulation with antibiotic use in outpatients on stable warfarin regimens. J Gen Intern Med. 2005;20:653-656.
4. Rudd KM, Dier JG. Comparison of two different models of anticoagulation management services with usual medical care. Pharmacotherapy. 2010;30:330–338.


text:
Products labeled YES under the 'Gluten Free', 'MSG Free', 'Preservative Free', or 'Allergen Free' columns reflect a product which does not contain or are 'free' of that item.
Products labeled YES under the 'US FDA Labeled Allergens' columns reflect products which contain that item.
* For products noted as "Yes" for the Kosher certification, they are Kosher for year-round use; excluding Passover.
For Kosher information about all Riviana products click here: https://express.star-k.org/viewer/LOCViewer.aspx?id=WIJR4WQ7&target=inline
For more information contact us


text:
Pentagon 9/11 Victim Remains Landfill Scandal: New Yorkers React
The Pentagon released a report Tuesday revealing that some 9/11 victim remains were taken to a landfill in the aftermath of the 2001 terror attack, and New Yorkers are beginning to react to the scandal.
The Defense Department acknowledged for the first time Tuesday via a panel report headed by retired general John Abizaid that small portions of unidentified human remains recovered from the sites of the 9/11 attacks at the Pentagon and in Shanksville, Pa., were taken to the Dover Air Force Base mortuary in Delaware then incinerated and taken to a Virginia landfill.
In November the Washington Post exposed the mortuary's long-held practice of disposing of incinerated remains of troops killed in the Iraq and Afghanistan wars in a Virginia landfill.
We don't think it should have happened, John Abizaid, the retired general who led the panel, told the New York Times Tuesday at the Pentagon.
The Department of Defense supplied the International Business Times with the panel's full report and a statement issued by Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley that loosely addressed Abizaid's report and what will be done to keep such things from happening in the future.
The men and women who serve at [Air Force Mortuarty Affairs Operations] recognize what a sacred mission it is to serve our Nation's Fallen and their families, and they have been working diligently to correct the deficiencies indentified in the initial investigations and subsequent reviews, the statement reads. They will continue to do so as we implement the findings of the Defense Health Board panel.
New Yorkers are beginning to react to the new scandal, and a range of emotions is emerging as they struggle to cope with the news that their loved ones, friends and neighbors' remains may have been incinerated by the U.S. government and sent to a landfill.
Eugene Kelty, an FDNY veteran from Whitestone, N.Y., was captain of Engine 10 in the famed Tenhouse--the closest firehouse to the World Trade Center at 124 Liberty St. in downtown Manhattan--on Sept. 11, 2001. Kelty, who has been in the FDNY for 33 years, was in the Tenhouse when both towers fell, but his firefighter brother James Kelty narrowly avoided death when the towers came down.
Six Tenhouse firefighters died on 9/11 that day, and Kelty and his fellow survivors worked long days for months after the attacks, digging through rubble and marking the locations of body parts and evidence found at the site with GPS units.
As someone who was so close to the tragedy, Kelty has a uniquely personal perspective on the 9/11 victim remains scandal:
I wouldn't want to see my brother's parts being lost in the landfill over there. But I don't know what else the government or the city could have done to stop something like this, he said Tuesday. It's an unfortunate thing and it's very upsetting for people to find out that the remains of their loved ones were taken to the landfill. I lost friends and stuff and it's very upsetting. I would hope that the remains would always be kept dignified, and that's why the city had people at the landfill as a second wave checking whatever was taken off the site.
New York City Councilman Dan Halloran, of Bayside, N.Y., lost a cousin in the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, and he said he would be outraged if there were a possibility that his cousin's remains had been taken to a landfill. He said that more should have been done by the U.S. government to ensure that proper disposal practices were followed:
Hurt is the primary feeling, hurt that they weren't teated with the respect and dignity that they should have been. But I think dispapointment isn't enough because you are entitled to have the government ensure that your loved one's remains are treated with dignity, Halloran said Tuesday. In New York we had sifting done at Ground Zero for DNA and other forms of remains, and a second sift when the material was offloaded when it was delivered to the landfills. If the city of New York can go to those great lengths, one would think the United States government would be able to do so as well.
New York State Assemblywoman Grace Meng, a Queens, N.Y., Democrat representing the majority-Asian-American neighborhood of downtown Flushing, had not read the report as of Tuesday afternoon, but she said that she felt for the families of victims who must now face the fact that their family members' remains may have ended up in a Virginia landfill:
It really adds insult to a very painful situation, one that ten years later the families are still suffering from. It's horrible, it's very disrespectful, she said. It's another layer of shock for them. They're already hurting and I don't think the families have ever gotten over what happened even though it was 10 years ago, so this is probably very hard for them to take.
And Devon O'Connor, the president of the Welcome to Whitestone Commercial and Residential Civic Association in Queens, N.Y., said that just thinking about the idea of 9/11 victims' remains being taken to a landfill brings him back to that terrible day, but that he understands that the circumstances of trying to react to the terrorist attacks could lead to such missteps:
It was a crazy time, I'm sure there were a lot of people running around, scrambling and trying to find people. So I'm sure things like that had to happen, he said Tuesday. It's not something that you really have control over. I'm sure I would have a different emotion, if someone I was related to was involved with it, but in reality what else could they have done? There's really no other way to do it, I guess.
© Copyright IBTimes 2024. All rights reserved.


text:
The Cumberland Island National Seashore Museum (CINS), which is located in the historic district of St. Marys, Georgia, reopened their doors in July 2017 after being closed for nearly nine months. Hurricane Matthew caused flooding to the park's mainland museum in October 2016. Although there was minimal damage to the exhibits, the storm prompted a major overhaul of the entire first floor of the building. New and returning visitors are greeted with new flooring, reconfigured exhibits and new artifacts in the main gallery, plus the newly restored and expanded Carriage Room.
The museum showcases the island's 4,000 years of human history which began with the Timucuan Indians and later included Spanish missionaries, British settlers, early American patriots and enslaved African Americans. When the industrial revolution swept the country, wealthy families like the Carnegies sought solace on the island both as land owners and vacationers. Now visitors to the museum will find wonderful treasures like the fully-restored statue of the god Mercury which once stood on the lawn at Plum Orchard, antique carriages, steamer trunks, fine china and period clothing, all belonging to the Carnegie family members who lived and played on their island paradise. One of the most influential female family members was Lucy Coleman Carnegie, wife of Thomas Carnegie – a strong woman who fought for women's rights by choosing to enter through doors that read "Gentlemen Only". One such barrier she broke through was at the New York Yacht Club, where she became the first female member in 1894. She commandeered her own steam yacht named "Dungeness", which was usually moored at Cumberland Island. One of the family mansions on the island was also named "Dungeness", the magnificent ruins of which still remain and are one of the main attractions for visitors to the island.
The other part of the main floor houses an exhibit about the War of 1812. One of the final battles of the war was fought in St. Marys at Point Peter. The exhibit goes into detail about that battle and the impact it had on the town. Visitors can watch a short film on how the battle played out.
The next phase of renovations to the museum will be in the back hallway. One wall will showcase hanging displays, the other will feature artwork. Seven pieces of art were recently sent off for restoration. Another piece that had originally hung in Plum Orchard and was originally slated to go back to the mansion after restoration will now likely be on display at the museum due to needing a climate-controlled environment.
A trip to the CINS is a delight for visitors to St. Marys who are planning a day trip or camping on Cumberland Island. It gives people a great sense of appreciation for the pioneers who settled on the island and gave us such a wonderful rich history that remains encapsulated on our neighboring Cumberland Island. Even if you have visited the museum in the past, it is a delight to return and see what's new! The museum is open 7 days a week, from 1-4 pm, and admission is free for all.
Tags: Cumberland Island National Seashore, Cumberland Island National Seashore Museum, Dungeness Ruins, Lucy Carnegie, Plum Orchard Mansion, St. Marys Georgia


text:
Visitatori salutem
In this page we are publishing sources on the collection of classical antiquities in Hungary in the 18th-20th centuries. Our aim is to make accessible the pictorial, archival and written sources on Hungarian private collections and the works of art that constituted them. This interdisciplinary publication of sources may hopefully help us discover the dispersed material of the collections, and may also contribute to the reconstruction of the post-antique history of certain pieces. We plan to enlarge the database on a continuous basis; Antiquitas Hungarica is an editio minor continua making use of the possibilities offered by the digital era.


text:
TWIST new brand venture and Global Beauty Group, two brand incubators in the beauty sector, announced a joint venture called BFF Ventures, LLC, and will launch a new merchandising concept, bff APPROVED by bff BEAUTY (www.bffbeautyshop.com) on June 8, 2010.
Recognizing that the opinions of family and friends are primary motivators for consumer beauty purchases, the two companies licensed the successful, digital media property www.bff.tv from its founders, Meryl Poster and David Rubin, with the goal of leveraging the impact of site's integrated digital media platform to influence consumers' engagement with beauty brands or products previously validated by friends' recommendations.
"We are very excited to be working with BFF ventures, whose years of experience will add so much to this licensing opportunity for BFF," said Poster.
Under the auspices of the newly created bff BEAUTY brand with its bff "Approved" seal, TWIST and Global Beauty Group seek to reinvent the way in which consumers shop by featuring the curation of existing brands' beauty products and offering limited edition bff approved "one 4 u, one 4 me" deals. The site will feature unique video content, bff expert beauty bloggers (www.divaliciousblog.com and www.butterflydiaries.com) and hand-picked products to further support the idea of sharing and connecting on multiple levels. The first two brands featured are ModelCo and Sampar, with the following products: Lip Lights Lip Gloss, Tan Airbrush In a Can, Ultra Lip Gloss and the Prodigal Pen Acne Stick. The featured lines are not only about beauty, but also about the interactive experience of sharing a special purchase, which ultimately strengthens the connection between friends and the products they use.
"The opportunity to leverage the bff digital media show is all about friends' connecting, and using an energetic, youthful community to create an integrated retail platform for existing brands based on like-minded recommendations," said Tina Hedges, co-president, TWIST. "It allows us to organically tap into the primary motivation for beauty purchases - the suggestion of friends."
Hedges added that the company has additional plans to launch bff-developed and branded beauty products in the near future.
The launch is in conjunction with National BFF Day, and, as part of its charitable efforts, BFF Ventures is launching bff bracelets to support American Freedom Foundation.


text:
How $2,250 Gold Comes Into Clearer View
Although gold knocked on the door briefly during 2011, I am waiting until my long-standing price target of $2,000 per ounce is finally breached before I revise my conservative long-term price objective. In the meantime, my uninterrupted gaze across the gold market's fundamental landscape sees a steady trend toward de-risking of the $2,250 mark as a very conservative basis for a follow-on target.
I have discussed on countless occasions the key macroeconomic trends supporting sustained appreciation in the gold price, and I am well aware of just how contentious a topic it can be. But the fact is that investment demand for gold continues to expand, particularly in the East, where China is poised to surpass India as the world's foremost source of gold demand. Global mine supply, meanwhile, is struggling to keep up in an atmosphere of rising production costs, escalating mine-construction costs, and diminishing frequency and scale of new world-class discoveries.
Although the gold-price outlook can never be divorced from prevailing macroeconomic trends, I spot $2,250 gold coming into clearer view through a comprehensive examination of mining-industry fundamentals. The world's largest gold miner -- Barrick Gold (NYS: ABX) -- released its quarterly and annual results this week. Although I am not a shareholder, I continue to track Barrick very carefully as an effective harbinger of emerging industry dynamics. Barrick delivered another solid year in 2011, growing adjusted net earnings by 33% despite essentially flat production volume year over year. And by replacing the year's production of 7.7 million gold ounces to stand with nearly 140 million ounces of gold in reserves, the company reminds observers that meaningful volumes of gold can still be found ... but at what cost? For those interested on forecasting the gold price trend, that is the question to ask.
Observable cost inflation
Barrick's total production cost for 2011, which accounts for depreciation and other items, rose 14% year over year from $552 to $630 per ounce. The less inclusive total cash cost of production came in at $460 per ounce, or 12.5% higher than the year before. For 2012, Barrick is targeting a further increase of between 13% and 22% for a targeted cost range of $520 to $560 per ounce. And this is from the producer with a massive edge in terms of economies of scale over its smaller competitors. To make a long story short, the industry is experiencing significant upward pressure on operational cost structures.
At the same time, capital costs for mine construction are going through the roof. The conceived price tag for construction of NovaGold Resources' Galore Creek joint venture with Teck Resources (NYS: TCK) has increased by 373% since 2006 to reach a whopping $5.2 billion. The estimated cost to construct Barrick's 75%-owned Cerro Casale project in Chile has tripled since 2007 from $2 billion to $6 billion. Kinross Gold recently opted to reassess its entire growth pipeline in response to severe rates of cost inflation. In my recent interview, Thompson Creek Metals (NYS: TC) CEO Kevin Loughrey lamented, "We are living in a world where mining projects are expensive to build and getting more expensive."
The rising long-term floor beneath gold prices
The all-in cost of gold production is a crucial metric for establishing just where the floor beneath long-term gold prices stands. As the long-term breakeven price for the mining industry, it represents a price level below which new mine supply to replenish existing production will tend not to come online. Fools may recall that discussions of industrywide all-in costs in the range of $700 to $800 per ounce back in 2008 proved very instructional in forecasting the range in which the cascading gold price would ultimately recover its footing.
Taking into account the substantial trailing cost inflation, would you believe that the industrywide all-in cost of gold production today is already trending closer to $1,200 per ounce? In a recent interview with Mineweb's Geoff Candy, AngloGold Ashanti (NYS: AU) CEO Mark Cutifani corroborated another recent estimate by IAMGOLD (NYS: IAG) CEO Stephen Letwin that places the all-in cost of production for the industry at about the $1,200 mark. Cutifani states: "The average cost to produce an ounce of gold, all up, everything loaded, is about $1,200 to $1,250." However, reminding observers that the industry cost of capital belongs in the equation, he adds: "$1,650 is only just returning the weighted average cost of capital for the industry. So for the industry to keep its nose above water and even hold the current production base, I think $1,650 is a minimum gold number that we need to work from on a real basis."
For the millions of gold skeptics out there who perceive the current gold price as a wildly inflated speculative bubble perched above a cavernous lack of fundamental footing, Cutifani's well-informed perspective must give one a moment's pause to consider that the price is barely sufficient to maintain existing production volume. Cutifani goes on to forecast an annual gold-price increase of "about $150 a year over the next four or five years." From the baseline of $1,650, this perspective results in an outlook for $2,250 gold within about a four-year timeframe. When gold does finally surpass the $2,000 mark, I look forward to issuing a new target at that time, and certainly Cutifani's view from inside the gold-mining industry will inform that deliberation process.
Looking for more ideas? Download The Motley Fool's special free report, "The Tiny Gold Stock Digging Up Massive Profits." Our analysts have uncovered a little-known gold miner that we believe is poised for greatness; find out which company it is and why we strongly believe in its future -- for free!
Add Barrick Gold to My Watchlist
Add Teck Resources to My Watchlist
Add NovaGold Resources to My Watchlist
Add AngloGold Ashanti to My Watchlist
Add Thompson Creek Metals to My Watchlist
At the time thisarticle was published Fool contributorChristopher Barkercan be foundblogging activelyand acting Foolishly within the CAPS community under the usernameTMFSinchiruna. Hetweets. He owns shares of IAMGOLD, Kinross Gold, Teck Resources, and Thompson Creek Metals. We Fools don't all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has adisclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2012 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


text:
Donc, je commence:
KGW Portland a écrit :Source: http://www.kgw.com/money/your-1970-quarter-could-be-worth-thousands/235670654An eBay auction for a rare 1970 U.S. quarter has gotten a lot of attention over the past few days, with the seller asking $35,000 for the coin.
More than 1,500 buyers are watching the item and seller Mike Byers had already received dozens of inquiries by Tuesday morning.
Due to a major mint error the S-proof quarter was not struck over a blank, but instead over a 1941 Canada quarter, according to Byers.
He says some of the detail of the original coin is still evident, including the "1941" date stamp above the word "Dollar" on the tails side. On the heads side the Latin writing on the border of the original coin is still visible.
Byers says in his listing that the coin was part of a small collection auctioned off by the state of California after the Secret Service determined the quarters were legal to own. Since then they've been widely dispersed.
Similar 1970 quarters are also being sold on eBay for $2,500 and for $5,000.


text:
Chris Brown -- 3-Month Rehab Stint for Anger Issues
Chris Brown 3-Month Rehab Stint For Anger Issues
Chris Brown will spend up to 3 MONTHS in a Malibu rehab joint for his anger problems ... TMZ has learned.
Sources connected to the singer tell TMZ ... there has been no firm decision on the precise length of time Brown will stay, but everyone in Brown's camp -- including Brown himself -- is open to as much as 3 months.
One source put it this way ... "The rehab facility has been told to take him [Brown] apart and put him back together."
As TMZ first reported ... Brown is specifically getting treatment for his anger problem, which manifested itself last weekend when he was arrested for allegedly punching a guy in the face.
And, as we previously reported, Brown's lawyer, Mark Geragos, knows it's very likely the judge in the Rihanna case will revoke Brown's probation, which could put him behind prison bars for up to 4 years. The rehab move is an act of good faith, showing Brown is dealing with his problems.


text:
Inauguration ceremony of the Bujagali hydropower project
Your Excellency, President Yoweri Kaguta Museveni of Uganda, and Your Excellency, the First Lady,
Your Excellency, President Pierre Nkurunziza of Burundi,
Your Excellency, President Salva Kiir of the Republic of South Sudan,
Your Excellency, President Mohamed Abdelaziz, President of Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic,
Your Excellency, Dr. Mohamed Gharib Bilal, Vice President of Tanzania,
Your Excellency, Mr Alhaji Adam Yusuf, Vice President of the Republic of Southern Sudan,
Hon. Minister of Defence of the Republic of Congo,
Hon. Minister of Defence of Angola,
Hon. Minister of Home Affairs, of Zambia,
The Rt. Hon Prime Minister of Uganda,
Hon. Minister of Energy and Mineral Development of Uganda,
Honourable Ministers,
Secretary General of the East African Community,
Secretary General of the Great Lakes Region,
Your Excellencies, members of the Diplomatic Corps,
All other holders of high office and distinguished guests,
I want to mark this occasion as an occasion of very very great significance.
First of all, we are here to celebrate the 50 years of independence of Uganda, the Pearl of Africa. And it is an honour to be celebrating this event in the presence of President Museveni and so many distinguished leaders of other African nations.
It is also a pleasure to be joined today by all of you at the inauguration of the Bujagali Hydropower Plant - a momentous accomplishment that will open the door for continuing and expanding progress. It is not only a transformative development in the economic life of Uganda – and of the continent – but it is also an inspiring model of how such change can best be accomplished.
As we inaugurate the model today, I have two short comments I want to share with you:
The first is my admiration for the extraordinary diversity of men and women who came together to produce this remarkable project. We had planners and financiers, engineers and architects, scientists and government officials, suppliers and contractors, consultants, construction workers, and community leaders. And we had President Museveni and his government.
Their story is a compelling one, because in a project of this complexity, there are surprises that occur. When you have that number of participants working together for a five year period, those surprises have to be addressed by consensus; they cannot be addressed in any other way. And I would like to express my admiration for all the stakeholders who worked in such a united manner moving forward in the interest of the project and the interest of Uganda.
Let me give you one small example of the sort of issues that arose. The grid had to link to 100 kilometres of cable, and in order to do that, we had to cross 2,632 separate land parcels. That was just one small part of this vast endeavour.
At its heart, the Bujagali project is a Ugandan project. It is a Ugandan success story and again I would like to thank the President for having led this initiative in a way where this unique public private partnership was able to move forwards.
But this is not only a Ugandan project - it is a global project. As Nizar Juma said, 37 different nationalities participated from around the world to make this project move forwards.
The second point I would make is that this project has not stopped at the delivery of energy. It is investing in education, it is investing in healthcare, it is investing in social development, it is investing in all those aspects which improve the quality of life of people who live within the ambit of the project. And I think this is an important lesson to be learnt, because ultimately the goal is to improve the quality of life of people in the most complete manner possible.
Finally, let me address my thanks to all the stakeholders who have worked so well here. And I would refer to the project managers, to the contractors, to the workmen, to the lenders, who were very empathetic at a time when we needed their empathy, and I hope what we have learnt from this project, will give Uganda replicable knowledge for the benefit of all of Africa.


text:
About a year ago, when I first started considering taking my kids out of public school, I wasn't met with the kind of incredulous questioning that I expected after suggesting something so reckless and foolhardy. For the most part people were excited and supportive and helpful. Many thought we were already homeschooling, in fact. What surprised me most though is that folks who were concerned about the prudence of such a decision weren't worried that my children might not learn enough or the the right things. They didn't wonder how my kids would know how to be quiet when they were supposed to or to wait in lines when they have to.
No, the biggest concern among the concerned was: SOCIALIZATION. Ahhhh! Socialize those kids! Learnin', schmlearning- those kids need to be among herds of other kids their exact age in order to learn how to be normal. In other words: homeschooled kids are annoying and weird, and you don't want your kids to be annoying and weird, do you?
Annoying and weird.
Well, if someone tries to tell you that their kids are never annoying, they're lying to you. And if someone else tries to tell you that any child of mine isn't going to be at least a little weird no matter how they're educated, they've lost their minds.
But I digress.
Why is this perception of the weirdo homeschooler so pervasive? Why is it that despite the clear academic achievement of most homeschooled students, the fear of them "acting like that one weirdo guy I knew when I was a kid" is enough to turn otherwise supportive folks against the idea? I've thought about it a lot and the best explanation I can come up with is this: ridicule.
See, everyone is born with a certain temperament. Parents of more than one will all attest to this. Same parents, same environment, same rules….completely different reactions from their children. And some kids- well, some kids are annoying. And what do I mean by "annoying"? I mean what people mean when they say that homeschooled kids are annoying. I mean kids who ask too many questions and know too much information and like certain stuff and refuse to like other things and don't care what other people think about their silly hobbies and their know-it-all-ness.
When "annoying" kids like this go to a traditional school, they're ridiculed. They have a hard, or even impossible, time finding their niche. They must either hide their true personality and inclinations in order to be accepted or they're pushed to the fringes and made to feel abnormal. Not good enough. Made to feel less likable than those who keep their ideas and opinions to themselves or fail to form any to begin with. Made to feel that convictions and fascinations are stupid and that pop culture is the only culture. Not because "normal" kids are mean. They mostly don't even know they're doing it, I assure you. They just don't know what to do with someone who's so, like, weird. Ya know?
I know. I was one of those weird kids.
My eldest daughter knows. She is one of those weird kids.
But when one of those "annoying" kids is homeschooled, no one makes fun of their outfits that don't match. Or the fact that they like to memorize things and wish the math assignments were harder. No one looks at them askance when they know every answer to every question and are eager to share their knowledge. When an annoying kid like that finds a new hobby and wants to learn everything they can about it and talk about it incessantly, no one treats them like there's something wrong with pursuing an interest like that, no matter how dull it may seem to the other members of the homeschool classroom. They are not ridiculed into trying to be who God didn't create them to be.
"Oh but dweej…that's real life! You can't just go around being annoying all the time. Better they learn now than later!"
Better they learn what? That the crowd knows best? That their interests are boring and a waste of time? That they need to wear a certain thing and buy a certain thing in order to be worth people's time? Better they learn now not to stand up for themselves?
Because that's the thing. By the time annoying people like that are older, they're older. They've advanced beyond certain stages of childhood and are better able to confidently stand up for what they believe in. The idea of being ostracized by a group of people that they don't really like anyway no longer sends them into a panic. If they spend their whole childhood trying to be something they're not or believing that what they are is weird and weird is bad, they'll enter adulthood with those same perceptions, that same lack of self-confidence.
If, on the other hand, they're able to cultivate their interests, learn to be comfortable in their own quirky skin, encouraged to achieve as much as their little over-achieving hearts desire, they'll enter adulthood with the confidence to continue on that path. They won't automatically wonder if people will disagree or make fun of them when they make assertions or cling to ideals. And if those people do disagree or make fun of them they won't care. Because they're not kids anymore. They're all grown up!
Of course, not every homeschooled kid is like that. Not even every one of the kids who lives in this house is like that. But no one asks the "normal" kids and adults if they were homeschooled. It doesn't cross their minds. Because they're so, you know, normal.
But the homeschooled kids who are like that, who are "annoying" are so different, so confident, so willing to allow themselves to be something that the majority of society has labeled as weird, that people can't help but paint all homeschooled families with the weirdo brush. Because shouldn't kids like that want to keep their mouths shut and keep their opinions to themselves?
And that's why homeschooled kids are so annoying. Because no one tells them that the way God made them isn't cool enough.


text:
1pc Glamorous Rhinestone Decor Bracelet For Women For Gift
Additional 10% OFF On Card Payments
Product Measurements in cm :
Size | Length |
one-size | 18-31 |
More Info
size |
one-size |
Return Policies
Exchange Policy
Lingerie & Loungewear items cannot be returned or exchanged.
After 7 days it will be solely company decision to fulfill your request or not.
Negative Apparel holds the authority to reject any exchange claim if not met with company policy as mentioned in above paragraph. For exchange please email us at email@example.com or live chat via our website.
Refund and Cancellation Policy
2. The item is defective.
3. The item was damaged in shipping.
Please note that the clearance & sale items will not be refunded. Clearance items will not be exchanged for another size or product.
Please note that cash refund will not be issued on the items on sale and clearance. On sale and clearance items, a voucher for the same value will be issued that you can use on any other item.
Address: Negative Apparel plot 001 floor 3 theme park street, Bahria Springs commercial, Bahria Phase 7 Rawalpindi. Pakistan
Landmark: Green Valley Parking


text: On Sun, Dec 26, 2004 at 03:59:18PM -0500, Joe Landman wrote: > Folks: > > Been looking into why a Redhat EL3 WS x86_64 client hangs when > accessing a NAS based upon SuSE 9x. Great, thanks for this note! I've been struggeling quite a bit myself with Rocks-3.3 on opteron (IBM e326), with AIX as file-server. I still don't quite understand exactly what caused my hangs, but after reverting back to udp, and default mount options plus increasing the number of lock-daemons on the AIX-server, I now have a stable NFS. Still struggeling a bit with the NFS performance.. Should maybe test if bcm lets me go back to nfs over tcp. > > ps: if there are some Redhat people reading the list, you know, we would > like some modern kernels, and not lots of backported stuff, not to > mention xfs, and other goodies ... (yeah, I know, wait till EL4, ...) > Maybe someone should do a kernel-2.6 roll for Rocks... -jf


text:
The approaching Olympic games have highlighted the aboulia—the loss of will—that besets Western democracies. Incoherence reigns in confronting the power of former communists; diplomats have no idea whom they are dealing with, nor the experts what kind of regime they are discussing. The brutal repression of monks and civilians in Tibet shocks world opinion and accelerates our elites' belly dance before the Chinese authorities. To go, or not to go? Many leaders now suddenly discover that their calendars are too busy for them to make it to the games' solemn opening ceremony. Nevertheless, only a few leaders—Polish, Czech, Bulgarian—dare to announce outright that they will boycott this political display coronating a regime that flouts human rights. For the most part, hypocrisy is in the ascendant, and the lame excuses that proliferate in France do credit to no one. Faced with the choice of respecting either the Olympic torch or those assassinated and tortured in Lhasa, Parisians have made their decision, whatever the cost for regional or world diplomacy.
Since the fall of the Soviet empire and the opening of China to a market economy, foreign ministries are all at a loss. At one moment, they bet on everything going well at the end of history—that is, the end of the history of great conflicts and great challenges—and at the next, they fear a new cold war and don't know where to turn. Yesterday, George W. Bush discerned the clear blue sky in the eyes of Vladimir Putin; today, presidential contender John McCain, no less "Republican," sees only three sinister initials: KGB. Tony Blair anointed Putin even before he was elected; but more recently, after the radioactive assassination of the dissident Alexander Litvinenko in London, he has left 10 Downing Street at extreme loggerheads with the Kremlin. Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi, publicly friendly with Putin, has sworn to me that he was more critical with him in private. A similar display of dilly-dallying is shaping up around a China that the West both courts and fears. The emerging third power of the world—with 1.3 billion inhabitants—exerts a power of fascination, for better or for worse.
The gigantic, even Pharaonic, public works that are transforming Beijing into an Olympic capital stun and overwhelm us. Three decades after burying the Marxist economic model, China is celebrating its amazing transformation. As in the cases of Japan and Germany at the beginning of the twentieth century, the modernization and globalization of the country are advancing chaotically and at very high speed. The unprecedented rapidity of modern industrial and financial techniques, combined with the inhuman brutality characteristic of the great workshops of yesterday's communism, produces an economic miracle, broadcast to the world.
While admiring the skyscrapers that rise up almost instantly, one forgets the millions of exhausted, emaciated peasants tasked with renovating the capital, where they rot until being sent away once the great work is done. "Pharaonic" describes not only the construction but the whole social structure of the world's largest country. At the summit rules the collective Pharaoh, the Chinese Communist Party, whose leading clans settle their affairs sheltered from public scrutiny. At the bottom, there are a billion workers and peasants deprived of elementary rights, a population of modern serfs and slaves. Between the two lies a rapidly expanding middle class that benefits from a new and fragile prosperity and that tends, with a few admirable exceptions, more toward political docility than toward claiming fundamental "bourgeois" rights.
Modernization, yes; democratization, no! This is the guiding principle of the Chinese Pharaoh, established in 1989 by the bloody repression in Tiananmen Square, including the execution, torture, or deportation of thousands of students. This is the answer to every act of dissent, whether by foolhardy strikers, peasants in revolt, dissident intellectuals, careless Web surfers, or the monks of Tibet. China is no longer a totalitarian state in the Stalinist or Maoist sense of the term, but a postmodern, de-ideologized dictatorship: there are almost 10,000 executions per year, we are told—and families must reimburse the state for the cost of the bullets put in their loved ones' heads. The elite no longer worships at the shrine of doctrinaire illusions; it prefers to seek riches and to hold on to power. It accepts the market and globalization without allowing the accountability, the checks on power, and the requirement of transparency characteristic of liberal democracies. Economic miracles do not automatically engender democratic miracles, nor do they provide a guarantee against a turn toward chauvinism and militarism. The examples of Japan and Germany between 1900 and 1940 are available to refresh the memories of forgetful diplomats. The great nation of China finds itself at a crossroads, and all the fawning is not helpful to it.
A half-century of communist catastrophes, both suffered and inflicted, has left the hard core in Beijing ultra-cynical, unscrupulous, insensitive to good or evil; they have little regard either for their countrymen's freedom of expression or for the noble sentiments with which their Western interlocutors embellish their requests for better behavior. Enough, then, with false naivety; our necessary coexistence with the giant of Asia should be based neither on contempt nor on indulgent complacency. Postmodern dictatorships understand only the quid pro quo. There is no reason to grant this one the award of a world-historical opening ceremony in Beijing as long as Lhasa is suffering behind closed doors. Politicians: if there are no serious changes between now and then, boycott the very political opening of the Olympic games and find the courage, the lucidity, and the dignity to explain why! Proof that the Chinese leaders are not insensitive to pressure is that, faced with foreign protests, they have begun to change their vocabulary: whereas not long ago they were denouncing the plots of the Dalai Lama's circle, now they are looking to receive its representatives. Is this merely a gesture to salve the bad conscience of diplomats? Or is it a first step?


text:
Welcome to Tile Giant showroom in Burton On Trent. Tile Giant is the UK's fastest growing ceramics stores. At Tile Giant we can provide all the materials & tools you require when undertaking a project with ceramics. We aim to give every customer the best service when they visit our stores with Giant range and Giant savings. In our stores you will find our highly knowledgeable staff to help you with any questions you have and we also have a large range of stock for you to browse.
Place Categories: Tile Showrooms


text:
The most underpaid players in the NFL
The NFL pay structure isn't a perfect system where performance matches compensation. This is particularly true of draft choices because their salaries are dictated by draft position.
Here's a look at some of the NFL's most underpaid players. In order to be considered, a player must be eligible to renegotiate his contract under the NFL's collective bargaining agreement. Players drafted during the last two seasons, like J.J. Watt and Randall Cobb, have been excluded because they won't be able to sign new deals until the end of the third year of their rookie contracts.
Cruz has been one of the NFL's top receivers over the last two years.
Victor Cruz (WR)-New York Giants: Cruz came out of nowhere to catch 82 passes for 1,536 yards with 9 touchdowns last season. He's proving that his breakout year wasn't a fluke by following it up with another All-Pro caliber season. Cruz—who made $770,000 in his first two NFL seasons—is the NFL's biggest bargain with a $540,000 salary this year. The 2010 undrafted free agent recently indicated that his agent and the Giants had agreed upon the structure for a new contract. The Giants have all of the leverage because they can give him a first round restricted free agent tender, which is expected to be $2.879 million, after the season if they can't agree on compensation. Expect the Giants to take advantage of their leverage and Cruz's meager career earnings in order to keep his new contract more line with Antonio Brown's deal ($41.96 million, 5-year extension, $8.5 million guaranteed) than Vincent Jackson's deal ($55,555,555, 5 years, $26 million guaranteed).
Geno Atkins (DT)-Cincinnati Bengals: After leading the NFL's defensive tackles (along with Tommy Kelly) with 7.5 sacks last year, the 2010 fourth round pick's 7 sacks at the halfway point of the season put Atkins on pace for the most sacks by a defensive tackle since La'Roi Glover notched 17 sacks in 2000. Atkins, who could become the best 3-technique defensive tackle since Warren Sapp, is in the third year of a four-year rookie contract that pays him $540,000 this year and $1.408 million next year. Defensive tackles that can consistently put pressure on quarterbacks are rare commodities which are normally paid near the top of the interior defensive lineman market. Atkins' next contract should exceed $10 million per year and could approach Haloti Ngata's deal ($61 million, 5 years, $35 million guaranteed).
The former Hurricane basketball player has quickly become one of Drew Brees' favorite targets.
Jimmy Graham (TE)-New Orleans Saints: The former Miami Hurricane power forward earned second team All-Pro honors in 2011 after having one of the most prolific tight end seasons in NFL history (99 receptions, 1,310 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns). Graham has been slowed by an ankle injury this year but is still playing at a Pro Bowl level. The 2010 third round pick is under contract through the 2013 season on a four-year deal averaging $613,785 per year (including a $665,140 signing bonus). Graham will attempt to supplant Rob Gronkowski ($54 million, 6-year extension, $18.17 million in guarantees) as the NFL's highest paid tight end on his next deal.
Navorro Bowman (ILB)-San Francisco 49ers: It's debatable whether Bowman, who was a 2010 third-round pick, or perennial All-Pro Patrick Willis is San Francisco's best defensive player. They were both named first team All-Pro last season and form the NFL's best inside linebacker tandem. Bowman's four-year rookie deal worth $2,492,298 (including a $702,248 signing bonus) expires after the 2013 season. The 49ers gave Willis a five-year, $50 million contract extension (with $29 million in guarantees) after his third NFL season. In order for San Francisco to retain Bowman long term, they will probably have to exceed Willis' deal, especially since it was signed two years ago.
Brandon Browner (CB)-Seattle Seahawks: Browner made his NFL return in 2011 after spending five seasons in the Canadian Football League with the Calgary Stampeders where he was a three-time all-star. In his first season with the Seahawks, he was named as a Pro Bowl alternate. At 6-4 and 221 pounds, he is one of the only cornerbacks that can physically match-up with the NFL's bigger wide receivers, such as Calvin Johnson and Brandon Marshall. Browner, who spent his 2005 rookie season on the Denver Broncos' injured reserve list, signed a three-year deal averaging $415,000 per year when he came back to the NFL. Because of his rare cornerback size, Browner could probably command $10 million per year in the open market on a deal similar to the ones signed by Brandon Carr ($50.1 million, 5 years, $26.5 million guaranteed) and Cortland Finnegan ($50 million, 5 years, $27 million guaranteed) as free agents in March. However, he will not become an unrestricted free agent until he is 29-years-old if he plays out his contract.
Sebastian Vollmer (OT)-New England Patriots: Vollmer has only given up one sack in eight games this season. If the 2009 fourth-round pick continues his strong play, he should contend for All-Pro honors and earn his first trip to the Pro Bowl. Vollmer was limited to six games last season because of back and foot problems after being named second team All-Pro in 2010. He is making $675,000 this season in the final year of his four-year rookie contract. Given that upper echelon offensive tackles typically make more than upper echelon offensive guards, teammate Logan Mankins' deal ($8.5 million per year, $30 million in guarantees, $30.5 million over the first three years), which makes him the NFL's second highest paid guard, should serve as the floor for Vollmer's new contract. The Patriots also have the option using their franchise tag on Vollmer, which is projected to be $9.278 million for offensive linemen.
Jairus Byrd (FS)-Buffalo Bills: Byrd is the lone bright spot on the NFL's 31st-ranked defense. He was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week for Week 6 after intercepting two passes in Buffalo's 19-16 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. The 2009 second-round pick's four-year rookie contract, which pays him $640,000 this year, ends after the season. He is a prime candidate to receive Buffalo's franchise tag (projected at $6.478 million for safeties) but Eric Weddle's five-year, $40 million contract (with $19 million guaranteed and $25 million in the first three years) signed in 2011 with the San Diego Chargers could be an important data point for Byrd.
Philip Wheeler (OLB)-Oakland Raiders: After signing a one-year deal worth $1 million (with $400,000 guaranteed and $750,000 in playtime incentives), Wheeler has quickly become the leader of Oakland's defense. It would be a surprise if the Raiders didn't try to re-sign him after the season to a deal comparable to the ones signed by Quincy Black with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers ($29 million, 5 years, $11.5 million guaranteed) and Clint Sessions with the Jacksonville Jaguars ($27.5 million, 5 years, $11.5 million guaranteed, $450,000 in incentives each year).
Alex Boone (OG)-San Francisco 49ers: Boone has been a major surprise in his first season starting at right guard. The 2009 undrafted free agent has quickly develop ed into one of the NFL's most promising young guards after making the switch from offensive tackle during the offseason. Unfortunately for Boone, it will be awhile before he can capitalize financially on his Pro Bowl caliber play. He signed a four-year contract extension late last season averaging $1.635 million per year (with $2.64 million in guarantees and up to $2.1 million in escalators) that keeps him under contract through the 2015 season.
Matthews is in line for a monster payday in the near future.
Clay Matthews (OLB)-Green Bay Packers: After posting a career low six sacks in 2011, Matthews has had a terrific first half of the season with nine sacks. The 2010 Sporting News NFL Defensive Player of the Year should eclipse his career high of 13.5 sacks if he can quickly rebound from a hamstring injury that's expected to keep him out for at least a couple of games. Matthews is in the fourth year of a five-year rookie contract averaging $2,122,500 per year (with $7.105 million guaranteed). He is making $800,000 this season and $1,492,500 next season. There has been speculation that the Packers will approach Matthews about a new deal before he enters his contract year. Matthews will become one of the NFL's highest paid 3-4 pass rushing linebackers on his next contract. The six-year contract extension DeMarcus Ware signed with the Dallas Cowboys in 2009 averaging $13 million per year (with $40 million in guarantees) makes him the NFL's highest paid 3-4 linebacker.
Others: Percy Harvin (WR)-Minnesota Vikings, Sean Lee (ILB)-Dallas Cowboys, Henry Melton (DT)-Chicago Bears, Tim Jennings-(CB)-Chicago Bears, Aaron Rodgers (QB)-Green Bay Packers
Follow me on Twitter: @corryjoel
Joel Corry is a former sports agent who helped found Premier Sports & Entertainment, a sports management firm that represents professional athletes and coaches. Prior to his tenure at Premier, Joel worked for Management Plus Enterprises, which represented Shaquille O'Neal, Hakeem Olajuwon and Ronnie Lott. You can email Joel at email@example.com